Canterbury District Local Plan 2040

This is a multi-stage process which includes the gathering of evidence (early stages), including:

• relevant studies and assessments relating to technical aspects
• information relating to potential developable sites (often referred to as a ‘Call for Sites’ consultation.

Both these stages are undertaken before preparing a draft version of the Plan and the relevant policies. There are several stages at which the Council will consult the views of the public, including:

• issues and options
• a draft version of the Local Plan
• a final version of the Local Plan before submission to a Government appointed Inspector.

The University recently provided the Council with information as part of the latest Call for Sites exercise. This information relates to a series of landholdings within the University’s ownership which have been identified as surplus to support the preparation of the Plan going forward. This includes a total of three sites located to the north of the main University campus. The information provided by the University  has been informed by a number of technical consultants, assessments and studies, and identifies this land  as being suitable for the delivery of a residential-led development supported by  associated landscape, open space and other relevant works.

In addition to the above, the University made representations to the Council’s Vision and Preferred Options consultation. This was submitted in August 2021 and included the same landholdings as the Call for Sites Consultation, together with the University’s views on the strategic direction of the Vision and Preferred Options document.

The Council is currently reviewing our submission, along with others from a number of District-wide landowners, developer and promoters,  and we are waiting for the outcome of those considerations. We hope to provide an update alongside a more comprehensive consultation exercise in due course, following the Council’s review process.